Interlocking metal sheet-piling.



. PATENTBDAPR. 9, 1907. Gl El V INRTBRLOGKIN'G METAL SHEET `FILING.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 13, 1906.

WITNESSES:

units.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE.

GEORGE E. NYE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GUSTAVUS A. KREIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

INTERLOCKING METAL SHEET-PILING.

Speccaticn of Letters Patent.

`ratentecl April 9, 1907.

Application led December 13, 1906. Serial No. 347,663.

to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and` use the saine.

This invention relates to a novel construction in interlocking metal sheet-piling, the obj ect being to provide piling of this character which is very simple and durable and which atthe same time may be employed when disassembled as ordinary structural iron and which, furthermore, may be so arranged as to provide a single wall suitable for lining for ditches, as in sewer-building or similar light excavating, or which may be built up to form a double hollow interlocking-wall suitable for any purpose for which piling of this characterv may be employed, and consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the laccompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a plan section of sheet-piling constructed in accordance with my invention to form a continuous hollow wall. Fig. 2 is a similar section showing a wall comprising alternate single and double Fig. 3 is a plan view showing said piling as adapted for lining of ditches and other light excavations. Fig. i is a plan of a modiiied form of unit constructed in accordance with my invention.

My present invention contemplates van improvement upon the construction shown in `Patent No. 832,407, granted tolme October 2, 1906, said patent showing channel-bar units provided on the outer faces of their webswith projections inwardly of their side edges and parallel with the iianges thereof.

My present invention embodies the reverse of the construction shown in said patentnamely, in providing the projections on the inner faces of the webs inwardly of and parallel with the flanges. Injthe construction of hollow units by coupling two of said single units in either case provides a device which is suitable for all purposes for which piling of this character is used; but the disposition of said projections, as shown and as will be hereinafter described in this application, is advantageous over the.disposition of said projections on the outer faces of the webs, for the reason that the single units are thus better adapted for light work, such as ditching and similar light excavating. In work of the last-named character it is not necessary that the units shall interlock to hold the same against relative movement in all directions, but each unit should merely provide a guide for the next adjacent unit in driving the latter, and said units should engage each other only to an extent sufficient to prevent free relative lateral movement longitudinally of the ditch or excavation, and, further, so as to provide a relatively water-tight joint between such adjacent units.

The most important object of my present invention is to provide sheet-piling by means of which a continuous hollow wall may be formed and in which each of the hollow units may be illed with a suitable packing to render the entire wall absolutely water-tight and which by reason of the exclusive use of what I term double units will be sufciently strong to withstand any strains to which piling of this nature is subjected.

To this and other ends I provide channelbar members A, provided on their side edges with anges VB, thicker at their bases than at their free ends, and inwardly of said side edges and parallel with said iianges with ribs C, disposed on the inner faces of the webs adjacent to said flanges B. The reinforcement of the ilanges at their bases is essential, as it not only enables the channel-bars to be more easily rolled, but also provides the requisite strength where it is most needed. The said units may be driven so as -to engage each other, as shown in Fig. 3, to form a wall suitable for the lining of ditches and similar more or less shallow excavations.

For the general uses for which piling of this nature is generally employed, however, I prefer to use hollow units, such units each comprising two of said channel-bar members A, disposedparallel with each other and secured together by means of bolts D, passing through the webs of said members A, and their sleeves E disposed between said members, said sleeves being of a length equal to or greater than the that said members will be disposed a distance `movement in all directions relative to each other except longitudinally. Each of said hollow units may further be filled with the packing G, as shown in Fig. l, to render the joints between adjacent units absolutely water-tight. If desired, the thickness of the wall of sheet-piling may be further increased by assembling three or more of said channelbar members to form a unit, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l, and thus obtaining a wall of any desired strength.

It is preferable to form the'ribs or projections C integral with the member A; but the same may also be formed by securing angleirons H to the inner faces of the webs adj acent to and parallel with the flanges B, as shown in Fig. 4. The double wall may also be assembled so as to bring all of the hollow spaces in the various units into relative alinement, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The construction herein shown and described obtains only slight advantages over the construction shown in my patent above specified, such advantages consisting mainly in leaving the outer faces of the webs of the channel-bar members free of projections, and thereby better adapting the same for ordinary uses of structural iron, and, further, in enabling a better double interlock of adjacent units to be obtained. This last advantage is not particularly important, however, as the interlocking devices serve more particularly as guides in driving the piling.

The units illustrated in the aforesaid patent could also be similarly assembled to form a continuous hollow wall and with practically equal advantage, but are not adapted to be assembled singly for light work, such as is illustrated in Fig. 3.

The novelty residing in the present invention is defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my inventionv l. A sheet-piling unit consisting of a channel-bar member having plane edge flanges thicker at their bases than at their free ends and provided'inwardly of said flanges on its inner face with ribs disposed parallel with said flanges, two of said members being disposed parallel with each other and secured together to form a hollow unit provided with longitudinal slots in its sides, said units being disposed side by side so that their flanges overlap and engage each other on their inner faces to prevent relative lateral movement in one direction and said ribs engaging the outer faces of said flanges adjacent their free ends and preventing relative lateral movement of said units in the other direction.

2. Interlocking sheet -piling comprising units each consisting of two channel-bar members having plane edge flanges thicker at their bases than at their free ends, said members being disposed parallel with each other and secured together so that their flanges are in alinement with each other, there being longitudinal slots in the sides of said units, a rib on the inner face ofeach of said channel-bar members inwardly of and parallel with one of the flanges thereof, said units being disposed edge to edge and the flanges of adjacent units being oppositely disposed, one flange of each entering the other and engaging one of the flanges and one of said ribs of the other unit at its free end.

3. Interlocking sheet piling comprising units each consisting of. two channelebar members secured'together and disposed parallel with each other, saidmembers having plane edge flanges thicker at their bases than at their free ends, the outer faces of the said flanges thereof being flush with eachother7 there being longitudinal slots in the sides of said units, said units lbeing disposed side by side and one flange of each entering the other unit and engaging a flange of the latterv to form a continuous hollow wall, the hollow spaces thereof being adapted to receive a packing to render said wall water-tight, and means integral with said units and disposed adjacent the flanges thereof and engaging the flanges of adjacent units to limit relative lateral movement of saidunits in one direction.

4. Interlocking metal sheetpiling comprising units each consisting of two channelbar members disposed parallel with each other and secured together to form a hollow unit, the edge flanges of said members being plane and thicker at their bases than at their free ends and extending in the same direction, there being longitudinal slots in the sides of said hollow units, said units being disposed side by side and one-flange of each entering the other, ribs integral with and'dise posed on the inner face of the web of one of said channel-bar members of each hollow unit adjacent the flanges thereof and engagingthe free end of the entering flange to hold the same against lateral movement in a direction inwardly of said hollow unit.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE E. NYE.

Vitnesses:

RUDOLPH WM. Lo'rz, H. C. HARPER.

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